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A Guide to CBD for Pets

Disclaimer: we don’t claim to be medical experts nor do we claim that any of our CBD products will cure illnesses and/or diseases. We simply wish to educate people on the health, wellness and therapeutic benefits that our customers and other CBD users have seen as a result of cannabidiol usage.

Many of the health conditions which affect humans also affect our pets, especially those which are related to the ageing process, such as stiffening joints. As a result, many pet owners have begun to wonder whether the CBD-based treatments which have proved so effective in humans might also be of benefit to their pets. If you are one of them, or want to help someone who is, then here is a brief guide to what you need to know.

Animals process CBD differently
from humans

CBD stands for cannabidiol and contains a number of active ingredients known as cannabinoids, which are processed by the endocannabinoid system. All mammals have an endocannabinoid system, which means that, in principle, all mammals can process CBD. However the variations between endocannabinoid systems mean that different species will process it in different ways.Most of the research on CBD for pets has focused on dogs and supports its use for a number of conditions including (separation) anxiety, (epileptic) seizures and joint pain. There is much less research on CBD for cats, but there is growing interest in its use as a treatment for chronic kidney disease.

Choosing the right CBD product for
your pet

When choosing a CBD product for your pet, you first have to decide what sort of dosage is required and secondly how you are physically going to get your pet to consume the medication. With regard to the first point, the principle of dosing animals is exactly the same as the principle of dosing humans, i.e. you start as low as you possibly can and increase the dose slowly if you find you need to (e.g. as your pet gets older).

With
regards to the second point, your first decision is whether or not you are
going to try getting your pet to take his/her medication internally or
externally and then you can go into the details of the specific option. Dogs
are often prime candidates for internal dosage whether that be in the form of a
medicinal treat or a discrete addition to their food. It can be more of a
challenge to persuade a cat to take internal medicine, but it’s not (usually)
totally impossible. Alternatively, you can use topical treatments such as balms
and salves, which may be useful for the likes of joint pain.

A note on THC

THC
stands for tetrahydrocannabinol and it is the part of cannabis which triggers
the psychoactive high. Although it has therapeutic value in humans, research
indicates that dogs are much more sensitive to it than humans and that
therefore it is probably best to be avoided unless specifically prescribed by a
knowledgeable vet.

This
is highly unlikely to happen in the UK any time soon for the simple reason that
it is illegal for cannabis-based products to contain more than 0.2% THC unless
they are provided on a prescription issued by a specialist doctor (not a vet).
It is, however, worth being aware of this in case this law does change, in
which case you may have to find yourself navigating a much wider range and
variety of cannabis-based medicines.

If you have any questions regarding CBD for Dogs, CBD for Cats or CBD for other pets, we are happy to answer any of your questions via email or phone!